Wikispaces Intro

What is a "wikispace" and how can it be used in classrooms?

First, a wikispace is a website.

With simple editing tools, you can make a website that reflects up-to-the-minute changes in your classes. For an example, see my own page. You can post text, images, and links; you can embed video, slideshows and widgets; you can post your homework, link to Quia quizzes, set up Webquests, make announcements, provide access to forms and files.

Second, it is a discussion forum.

Each page has a place for visitors to click on a "Discussion" tab and comment on the page. You could use this to solicit student questions or suggestions, or you could pose a question for students to discuss. They can create their own discussion topics, and they can reply to other postings. Each of these activities could become a formal assignment (see this site for an example).

Third, it is a collaborative website.

This is what makes a wikispace unique. You can approve other members who have editing rights over the wikispace, and they can become collaborators on the space. Each student's contribution can be tracked (for grading accountability) or generic (for anonymity). An example of an "accountability" site created by students is here ; an example of an "anonymous" site created by students is here . Students can post their work , and teachers can provide feedback via the discussion tab; students can edit each other's work in an effort to create a group project; students can share information that they find useful. Communities of teachers can use wikispaces to share links to educational resources or write curriculum (asynchronously!).

My Example, A Collaborative Lab Report

My physics classes were assigned a laboratory investigation, similar to one I would have used in my CFP (Classrooms From the Past ;-)). They were assigned individual roles: transcribing the procedure ; documenting the procedure with pictures ; recording the data collected; and creating graphs that would illustrate the data patterns. Since this was work that should be consistent for each member of a lab group, the wikispace made the tool explicitly collaborative, with the ability to monitor the contributions of each group member. The analysis and evaluation of the experiment could then be assigned individually or collaboratively, at the teacher's discretion.

More Examples, For the Ambitious

• This video is an entertaining way to understand the value of a wikispace.
• At this link, Wikispace.com offers instructional videos about how to use their site.
• This site brainstorms ideas for wikis in education, offering straightforward exemplars of different types.
• This site offers a laundry list of educational wikispaces. I made it from A to D before giving up! The list runs the gamut from outstanding works of collaboration, to tentative starts of a website. Feel free to browse, if you have loads of extra time!

Now, Some Practice!

At this address, you will find a wikispace with wikilinks for each workshop participant.

• Go to

<a href="http://umcffjune12.wikispaces.com" target="_blank">this space</a>

and "Join This Space".

• Click on your name and "Edit This Page".
• Save your work, and go back to the main page.
• Choose a partner also participating in the workshop.
• Click on your partner's wikilink, and create a Discussion post, giving them feedback on their activity.
• Go back to your own wikilink, and reply to the Discussion posting left for you.
• Go back to your partner's wikilink, and Edit their page. (Be fair and nice!)
• Go back to your own wikilink, and look at the History of your page. (See if you can figure out how to revert to your original page.)

That's about it! Now you are Proficient at wikispaces. (You can only be Advanced if you use them for your work!)